NEWS07 Senior Safety: The Prepaid Phone Connection (NAPSA)—Experts say there’s a particular group of consumers who are not getting all they can from cell phones—seniors. According to a study called the Sullivan report, while almost half of Americans (48 percent) have already used their cell phones in emergency situations, millions of U.S. senior citizens are not yet tak- ing advantage of what somecall the “cell phone security blanketeffect.” Manybelieve this is due, in part, to a lack of awareness about such low-cost options as prepaid cell phones. To help, an advocacy group called The Seniors Coalition offers these tips to older consumers: * Remember: The only cell phone that does you any good is the one you can get to when you need it. Wear your cell phone wheneverit is not being charged. A cell phone that is stowed away in a car’s glove compartment or always sitting in a recharging stand by your doorisn’t going to do you any good if you fall down the basementstairs. Get in the habit of keeping your cell phone on your person all day long—except for when it is being charged once or twice a week, preferably on a regular schedule. A cell phone should be preprogrammed with key numbersincluding home, doctor, pharmacist, and adult child/other family contact. It’s usually possible to do this by adding “ICE” (In Case of Emergency) to these saved numbersthat you will want emergency responders, police or others to call if you or your older parent is in trouble; e.g., ICE Doctor or ICE Pharmacy. A senior’s cell phone should be preprogrammed with key numbers including home, doctor, pharmacist and other family contacts. * Using an inexpensive prepaid phone can help to beat high “contract” cell phone prices. A growing number of seniors are opting to use low-cost prepaid phones that allow them to buy a cell phone for as little as $15 and then use prepurchased minutes for $20 or less for three months, versus a wireless contract plan that can cost $30-$40 per month— or even more. According to Flora Green, national spokesperson for The Seniors Coalition, “Older Americans and their adult children oweit to themselves to get an inexpensive prepaid or other cell phone and then to use it as a literal lifeline in emergencysituations.” The Seniors Coalition is an organization that represents the interests and concerns of America’s senior citizens at both the state and federal levels. Its mission is to protect the quality oflife and economic well-being of older Americans. To learn more, visit www.senior. org.
